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Hi All,
Last night my son came home to watch game 7 with my husband and me (we are all Yankee fans, boo hoo they lost). We decided to order take-out, and I decided I wasn't going to prepare a compliant meal for myself. So I am officially done. Its been 30+20 days!
I know I need to stay as close to W30 as possible, so I am back in my Sunday W30 prep mode today. I suppose I could start a new W30, but its not about 30 days as much as it is about feeling much better when I follow the W30 template.
So I plan to stick around here for the rest of the month!
@Mary, Elsie's mon I love your space! I hope you feel better very soon.
@Betsie_n It is sad to see people you love in poor health and unwilling or unable to make changes. We can keep talking to them, but we all know they have to be willing to change.
OK, back to the kitchen! I have a piece of salmon marinating that needs to go on the grill. Loving the warmer weather and extended grilling season here in the northeast!

HI folks, happy Friday the 13th. Would you schedule your surgery for Friday the 13th?
Well, everything went really well. My doctor said everything went exactly as planned. I have very little pain, I can put weight on my leg and get around the house without any difficulty.
I did hit a small W30 bump in the recovery room. I hadn't eaten since 9:oo pm on Thursday, and when I was in the recovery room at about 12 noon, they wanted me to eat and drink something to make sure it was going to stay down. Not to mention I was hungry! They offered me cookies, crackers or a roll. I may have had a larabar in my bag but that was in the car in the parking garage. I decided this was not the time to get all uptight about going off plan.... So I ate a small buttered roll. I must admit it was delicious, and I can see how slippery the slope can be! So I suppose that should be considered the end of my W30 which was actually a W43. But since it was a small digression in a medical situation, I have decided to put an asterisk next to today in the record book, and stay with it.
Going into the surgery, my knee felt better than it has felt in almost a year. Not ready to sabotage that.
@Betsie_n I could do better with after dinner snacks too!
Made this Wed: https://againstallgrain.com/2016/11/29/well-fed-review-sticky-orange-sunflower-chicken-sesame-broccoli/
A winner! Used almond butter, served it over roasted spaghetti squash (didn't make the broccoli).

Todays success: Whole30 seared salmon benedict without the eggs.
A few weeks ago, I had a salad with a delicious piece of grilled salmon at a local restaurant. A few days later I threw a piece of salmon on my grill to throw on top of a salad and it was not good. Today I used the recipe in the W30 book for seared salmon benedict and it was fantastic! I didn't do the eggs or the hollandaise, just the seared salmon. Happily there is enough left over for tomorrow. This will be in my regular rotation!
Here's a link https://whole30.com/2015/04/seared-salmon-benedict/

@PurpleLadyMN Real Plans looks great! I can see how many people would love it. I think I like having a little less structure, especially this time of year. I go to the farmers market and buy what catches my eye and then figure out how to cook it! I do try to plan meals for 3 days at a time. I tend to prep and cook on Wed and Sun, and that usually gets me through 2 or 3 days. I love cook books and will use them for my planning, so not dissimilar from Real Plans.
@Mary, Elsie's mon How are you feeling?
Feeling better overall, back to work today after a 3-day weekend. I find the work week is easier to stay on plan, less opportunities to stray. Yesterday I made Mexican beef in the Instant Pot, had it tonight, very good! http://nomnompaleo.com/post/76137606724/pressure-cooker-mexican-beef. I was careful to use a mild salsa so I was sure it wouldn't be too spicy hot for me to eat!
My arthroscopic knee surgery is scheduled for this Friday. Trying to stay on plan to reduce inflammation pre and post.

@Betsie_n The directions say to put the cover on the pan and let it cook for a bit. I was really afraid the chicken was going to burn so I added a bit of water to the pan before covering. That made the crust not as crunchy. If I make it again, I will probably bake it, ala Shake and Bake. The pork rinds were interesting. I never had them before and I did like the texture and flavor.
Have you tried zoodles or spaghetti squash for your meat sauce? I like spaghetti squash but not a zucchini fan.

@Mary, Elsie's mon wow! that sir fry looks awesome. I adore roasted sweet potatoes and winter squash. But... what is hiding under the mountain of sprouts?
@KatieWo This is my 3rd W30. I did my first 2 with my husband. This time he didn't feel the need, but since I do 95% of the food shopping and cooking, he kinda has to come along for the ride anyway. He's pretty good about not bring ing non-compliant foods into the house (the other night he popped a bag of microwave popcorn that was on the "non-compliant" shelf and I wanted to smack him! ).
Last night my husband went out to meet up with some of his HS friends and I was not up for cooking. I finally realized that the Las Vegas shooting has been weighing on me all week. Although I got through the week without eating something non-compliant, there were a couple of times where I had to pull myself back from the cliff! Went I got home last night I was just mentally exhausted. Luckily there were some leftovers and i pieced together something that got the job done, but it was devoid of positive energy. One of my take-aways from completing a W30 is the positive energy that flows, not only from the healthy nutritious food, but from the time and effort I put into taking care of myself. The mental well-being magnifies the physical well-being. This week chipped away at that link. It's a good thing I don't really drink...so instead of a glass of wine I watched 13 innings of baseball (that was more mind-numbing that alcoholic beverages) and slept for 8 hours.
I feel better today and did a BIG cook-up!
Green bean salad with Italian vinaigrette, roasted sweet potato slices, BBQ shrimp, sautéed broccoli rabe, pineapple salsa, and this crunchy chicken: http://acalculatedwhisk.com/crispy-chicken-salad/ featuring a crust made with pork rinds. It was a moderate success. Not that crunchy but still very tasty! I took a picture of my lunch!
The first week is the toughest (I think).... Hope everyone is doing well as we enter week 2, with fewer symptoms and an easier time in the kitchen.

@Mary, Elsie's mon wow! that sir fry looks awesome. I adore roasted sweet potatoes and winter squash. But... what is hiding under the mountain of sprouts?
@KatieWo This is my 3rd W30. I did my first 2 with my husband. This time he didn't feel the need, but since I do 95% of the food shopping and cooking, he kinda has to come along for the ride anyway. He's pretty good about not bring ing non-compliant foods into the house (the other night he popped a bag of microwave popcorn that was on the "non-compliant" shelf and I wanted to smack him! ).
Last night my husband went out to meet up with some of his HS friends and I was not up for cooking. I finally realized that the Las Vegas shooting has been weighing on me all week. Although I got through the week without eating something non-compliant, there were a couple of times where I had to pull myself back from the cliff! Went I got home last night I was just mentally exhausted. Luckily there were some leftovers and i pieced together something that got the job done, but it was devoid of positive energy. One of my take-aways from completing a W30 is the positive energy that flows, not only from the healthy nutritious food, but from the time and effort I put into taking care of myself. The mental well-being magnifies the physical well-being. This week chipped away at that link. It's a good thing I don't really drink...so instead of a glass of wine I watched 13 innings of baseball (that was more mind-numbing that alcoholic beverages) and slept for 8 hours.
I feel better today and did a BIG cook-up!
Green bean salad with Italian vinaigrette, roasted sweet potato slices, BBQ shrimp, sautéed broccoli rabe, pineapple salsa, and this crunchy chicken: http://acalculatedwhisk.com/crispy-chicken-salad/ featuring a crust made with pork rinds. It was a moderate success. Not that crunchy but still very tasty! I took a picture of my lunch!
The first week is the toughest (I think).... Hope everyone is doing well as we enter week 2, with fewer symptoms and an easier time in the kitchen.

@Betsie_n The tomato soup was kinda boring, I may have added too much broth so the flavors were diluted. Will add something to spice it up! I put a quart in the freezer and still have close to another quart in the frig.
The salmon and squash was very good, especially the squash rings! I had to cook the squash a bit longer, at least 20 minutes to get it soft. The salmon filets didn't bleed into the squash at all, but you could just cook it in separate pans if you want to be sure they don't touch! I might recommend that, so you don't have to worry about the squash being over or under cooked.
Here's a photo of my "haul" today. I went to the farmers market and then the supermarket. Why pork rinds, you may wonder. That's because I am going to try this crispy chicken! http://acalculatedwhisk.com/crispy-chicken-salad/
Tomorrow is my "long day" at work. I don't get home until 9 pm, so I usually try to pack 2 meals. I have 1.5; need to figure out the last .5, a protein to throw into my salad.

@Betsie_n The tomato soup was kinda boring, I may have added too much broth so the flavors were diluted. Will add something to spice it up! I put a quart in the freezer and still have close to another quart in the frig.
The salmon and squash was very good, especially the squash rings! I had to cook the squash a bit longer, at least 20 minutes to get it soft. The salmon filets didn't bleed into the squash at all, but you could just cook it in separate pans if you want to be sure they don't touch! I might recommend that, so you don't have to worry about the squash being over or under cooked.
Here's a photo of my "haul" today. I went to the farmers market and then the supermarket. Why pork rinds, you may wonder. That's because I am going to try this crispy chicken! http://acalculatedwhisk.com/crispy-chicken-salad/
Tomorrow is my "long day" at work. I don't get home until 9 pm, so I usually try to pack 2 meals. I have 1.5; need to figure out the last .5, a protein to throw into my salad.

Welcome @Sharon O ! Hoping tomorrow is a better day. Hope you get a good night's sleep, that might help reduce your crankiness.
Wednesday is my day off and when I usually do my main food shopping. Its also the day of the farmers market in the city where I live (White Plains NY). So I am doing a little planning this evening. I am planning on cooking this salmon and delicate squash sheet pan dinner; I already have the delicate squash. http://acalculatedwhisk.com/sheet-pan-salmon-and-delicata-squash/
I also found this recipe for tomato-basil soup in the Instant Pot: https://thedomesticman.com/2016/08/02/tomato-basil-soup/
What better time to make a pot of tomato soup, with all the beautiful tomatoes at the farmers market. I like making vegetable soups, can have a cup or bowl alongside almost anything at any meal.
Anybody else cooking' up some good eats?

@Mary, Elsie's mon Hang in there Mary the headaches hopefully will only last a day or two.
@Betsie_n 110 oz of water daily!!!! This is definitely a weak link in my nutrition. I definitely do not drink enough water. I sadly need to start with a goal of 16 oz a day.
@PurpleLadyMN I LOVE my crockpot! I also have an Instant Pot which I am still working on using more.
I love the frig photo. I sometimes take pics of all the food I bring home after a weekly shopping trip. I will try to remember to post after the next shopping day.

@Mary, Elsie's mon Hang in there Mary the headaches hopefully will only last a day or two.
@Betsie_n 110 oz of water daily!!!! This is definitely a weak link in my nutrition. I definitely do not drink enough water. I sadly need to start with a goal of 16 oz a day.
@PurpleLadyMN I LOVE my crockpot! I also have an Instant Pot which I am still working on using more.
I love the frig photo. I sometimes take pics of all the food I bring home after a weekly shopping trip. I will try to remember to post after the next shopping day.

Hi, I just completed the September W30 (my third) but I am going to extend it, so I am going to hop in here! It has (once again) helped a great deal with inflammatory issues, and I am scheduled for arthroscopic knee surgery in a couple of weeks. I want to stay W30 to keep inflammation down as much as possible through the surgery and recovery.
I am 61 years old, with cranky (arthritic) knees, and other chronic inflammation issues. Also would love to knock off a few pounds but that is not a major concern.
Sunday is usually a big food prep day for me. For lunch I made tuna salad with homemade mayo, then I made turkey burgers and I roasted a big beautiful romanesco that I bought at the farmers market a few days ago. Oh, and sun tea!

I can't believe its September 27! The last week has been the most difficult for me, I am so tired of all the time in the kitchen..... and I like to cook! I have been trying to plan or find simple quick meals. My husband is out of town this week, which is good and bad. I only have to think about feeding 1 person, but it is also easier to be lazy. I did go food shopping today including the farmers market, so I am planning on a bit more kitchen time. Chicken Tinga in the Instant Pot! I also found this beautiful romanesco. Anybody have any suggestions? I'm thinking of roasting it.
I am going to extend my W30 at least another 2 weeks. I am scheduled for minor (arthroscopic) knee surgery on Oct 13. My biggest NSV is how much better my knee feels. I even considered not having the surgery. The anti-inflammatory nature of W30 has really helped and I need to stay with it. Anybody that started later in the month? are you still here?
I am on FB-- Shelly Mozlin. Lots of people in bike helmets
I am on Insta too-- vergenceranges. That's where I put more food/w30 things.

I can't believe its September 27! The last week has been the most difficult for me, I am so tired of all the time in the kitchen..... and I like to cook! I have been trying to plan or find simple quick meals. My husband is out of town this week, which is good and bad. I only have to think about feeding 1 person, but it is also easier to be lazy. I did go food shopping today including the farmers market, so I am planning on a bit more kitchen time. Chicken Tinga in the Instant Pot! I also found this beautiful romanesco. Anybody have any suggestions? I'm thinking of roasting it.
I am going to extend my W30 at least another 2 weeks. I am scheduled for minor (arthroscopic) knee surgery on Oct 13. My biggest NSV is how much better my knee feels. I even considered not having the surgery. The anti-inflammatory nature of W30 has really helped and I need to stay with it. Anybody that started later in the month? are you still here?
I am on FB-- Shelly Mozlin. Lots of people in bike helmets
I am on Insta too-- vergenceranges. That's where I put more food/w30 things.

Hello, All!
Day 24 and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel! The past week was a little discouraging as I wasn't noticing any substantial changes in my body. I know it's not a weight loss program, but a girl can dream Anyway, the last couple of days has definitely brought on some more changes. I had some cellulite that I've noticed is visibly less, so of course, I'm thrilled about that.
I've also been able to concentrate on those projects that have taken a back seat these past few weeks. I've spent so much time prepping, shopping and looking for new recipes, that I feel I've put everything else aside. It's all for a good reason, but ready to get back into my normal routine as these changes have started to become much easier. Sitting here making a list of projects to begin this week. I like to repurpose furniture, and now I feel like I have the energy to tackle the bigger projects that have been sitting there for months.
Also, I've moved here just a few months ago and still haven't found a primary doctor, so that's on the list this week. Going to have an annual physical and blood work done. I'm very interested to see where my cholesterol numbers are. I was borderline high last year, so hopefully this clean eating has lowered all of that. I am a little concerned, since I'm eating much more meat, but we'll see.
Hope everyone else has a great final week. Stay strong W30ers!

@NoneOtherThanAmy my favorite sauce on almost anything is chimichurri
Tonight on Day 22 I cooked Pork Braised in Coconut Water from Michele Tam's (Nomnom Paleo) new cookbook Ready or Not. The prep wasn't very complicated, but it did take a few extra minutes to brown the pork chunks. Then it just simmers on the stove for 90 minutes (she includes directions for cooking it in the crockpot or Instant Pot). It is very good!!! My husband really enjoyed it. The flavors are more subtle, especially compared to most of the sauces and marinades I've been cooking with lately (like chimichurri!). There was a lot of broth left in the bottom off the pot, which I poured into a jar. I'm thinking I can use it to make a serving or two of soup.
I also made my go-to kale salad which is raw kale, a vinaigrette dressing, some sliced dates and and some sliced almonds. The trick to making the raw kale salad-worthy is to massage it! Sprinkle a tablespoon each of olive oil and whatever kind of vinegar you are using on the kale, and massage it for a minute or two. This really softens it and makes it much easier to eat raw.
Like @alw289 and @NoneOtherThanAmy I am working on the food part of the equation before ramping up my exercise. The good news is my knee feels significantly better, so I can handle more activity. I also have more energy so I am hoping to get into a more productive routine that includes getting to the gym more regularly.
@Bookgrrl You are a warrior! hope things get better very soon.

@NoneOtherThanAmy I've been using Nutpods all month. I bought a pack of the pumpkin spice and I like it a lot. I think the flavor is pretty low key, not at all overwhelming. I'm thinking it wouldn't flavor a soup enough to make it worth it. But then again, if you want to get rid of it, butternut squash soup would probably be the perfect place!

P.S. my dishwasher is getting quite a workout. And there's always a pile of bowls, pots and pans in the drainboard. I used to run the dishwasher every 2 or 3 days, now its almost everyday. It's not a problem, just an observation.

wow! @stacie66 so beautiful! OK, I will share a photo too. I went to the farmers market this morning.
I already cooked the green beans, marinated them in a mustard vinaigrette and threw on some toasted sliced almonds. Made this last week and my husband asked me to make it again. Then i sliced some of the little plums and chopped some of the cilantro on my way to a fruity salsa. Covered the grill with marinated chicken breasts and a nice piece of wild tuna. Whenever I grill, I always try to grill up a bunch of chicken for salads, etc.
We were supposed to go to Martha's Vineyard this weekend but the remnants of Hurricane Jose have canceled that trip. In a way, I am relieved b/c I know it would have been very challenging to stay compliant. So back in the kitchen!
I am also feeling very good. I have "chronic crappy left knee" syndrome and my knee feels MUCH better. Also sleeping better, which is the first thing I noticed after my first W30.
Let's keep the positive energy going!

wow! @stacie66 so beautiful! OK, I will share a photo too. I went to the farmers market this morning.
I already cooked the green beans, marinated them in a mustard vinaigrette and threw on some toasted sliced almonds. Made this last week and my husband asked me to make it again. Then i sliced some of the little plums and chopped some of the cilantro on my way to a fruity salsa. Covered the grill with marinated chicken breasts and a nice piece of wild tuna. Whenever I grill, I always try to grill up a bunch of chicken for salads, etc.
We were supposed to go to Martha's Vineyard this weekend but the remnants of Hurricane Jose have canceled that trip. In a way, I am relieved b/c I know it would have been very challenging to stay compliant. So back in the kitchen!
I am also feeling very good. I have "chronic crappy left knee" syndrome and my knee feels MUCH better. Also sleeping better, which is the first thing I noticed after my first W30.
Let's keep the positive energy going!